Delhi High Court Orders Blocking of Rogue Websites Spreading Fake Interview with Anant Ambani [Read Order]

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ordered the blocking of rogue websites spreading false information about an interview between Reliance Industries Director Anant Ambani and TV18 journalist Anand Narasimhan. [Case Title: Network 18 Media and Investments Limited & Ors v www.BrawlersFightClub.Com & Ors]

Justice Sanjeev Narula directed Meta and X to remove the related Facebook posts and tweets and to provide user details within four weeks. Block/remove the Facebook post available at the URL identified in paragraph no. 70 of the plaint. Within four weeks from today, file in a sealed cover the complete details of the user who made the post, as available with them. A copy of the said documents shall also be provided to counsel for Plaintiffs, strictly for the purpose of investigation and identification of the perpetrators, Justice Narula ordered.

The court's decision followed a petition by CNBC TV18 and Narasimhan against eight websites hosting a fabricated article titled "CNBC-TV18 management refuses to comment on the scandal surrounding its interview 'Vantara (star of the forest)'". The article falsely linked Ambani to a cryptocurrency trading platform, "Everix Edge", claiming it provided astronomical returns through passive income.

CNBC TV18 alleged that a certain website fabricated an interview with Ambani, originally conducted by Plaintiff No. 6 and uploaded on Plaintiff No. 1's YouTube channel. The misleading article referenced and redirected readers to the cryptocurrency trading platform "Everix Edge" (Defendant No. 9), claiming it helps users earn passive income with astronomical returns.

The article allegedly featured a fake interview with Ambani and Defendant No. 6, where Ambani purportedly claimed that anyone can make money through passive income on the Defendant No. 9 platform. It falsely quoted Ambani as saying that anyone could register with Everix Edge with a minimum deposit of Rs. 26,000 and transform it into Rs. 10,00,000, yielding a 4,000% return within a few months.

The article falsely presented itself as being published by the BBC, as contended by the plaintiff. The plaintiff also argued, It is evident from the screenshot extracted above that the impugned article contains a picture from Mr. Narasimhan's interview, in which Plaintiff No.2 holds copyright. The said article is prima facie defrauding and scamming the public by using the name, likeness, image, and reputation of Plaintiff No.6, a screengrab/screenshot of the interview, in which Plaintiff No.2 holds copyright, and the name of Plaintiff No.2's channel 'CNBCTV18,' and a mark deceptively similar to Plaintiff No.1 and 2's marks and TV18 marks.

The Court was thus satisfied with the case presented by Plaintiffs No.1, 2, and 6 and ordered the blocking of the websites. 

[Read Order]